Drug Investigation Division

The TBI’s Drug Investigation Division (DID) was created in 1998 and is responsible for investigating and assisting in the prosecution of crimes involving controlled substances, narcotics, and other illegal drugs. In order to complete its mission, the division has original jurisdiction in opening cases involving illegal drugs.

Special Agents assigned to the Drug Investigation Division cooperate with local, state, and especially federal law enforcement agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Tennessee’s United States Attorney’s offices. This work contributes to hundreds of cases and a large number of arrests every year. In addition, TBI Agents participate in a variety of collaborative efforts to address the drug issues in Tennessee:

Founded in 1983, the Governor’s Task Force on Marijuana Eradication (GTFME) is a partnership between TBI, the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the Tennessee National Guard. Throughout the year, the Task Force seeks out marijuana grow operations and arrests individuals who knowingly participate in this illegal activity.

Drug Investigation Division Special Agents assigned to the Appalachia High-Intensity Drug Trafficking area focus their efforts on drug trafficking in counties throughout East and Upper East Tennessee. The Appalachia HIDTA is comprised of sixty-five, predominately rural counties located within the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. 29 of these counties are in Tennessee. Demographic conditions of the Appalachia HIDTA, including relatively high unemployment and low median family income, create an environment where illegal activities and corruption can flourish.

TBI is the Tennessee coordinator for the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC). One of the primary goals of EPIC is to coordinate intelligence data for narcotic violations and fugitives between law enforcement of federal and non-federal agencies.